Gunsmoke (TV Series) A Man Called 'Smith' (1969) User Reviews

A classic western story that is entertaining to watch

[kfo9494 · 8/10 · 22 October 2012]

In a show that is classic western, we get a good script and an interesting plot.

It begins as a lone rider come up to Abelia Johnson's house claiming his name is Will Smith. It is apparent that Will and Abelia had some relations a few years back and that Will could be the father of Abelia's two children.

Will has some stolen gold that he wants Abelia to sell to a sleazy trader named Bull Anders. Will states that if he can get some cash that he plans on moving to Mexico to avoid any prosecution from the stolen gold. So Abelia agrees to try to sell the gold so that he can leave the area.

When she goes to Bull Anders, she is not given the amount of money asked. But he agrees to give more if she can produce more gold. When she tells Will about the transaction he agrees to meet Mr Anders. But the meeting of the two end tragically as Anders shoots Will for the gold only to have Will return fire. Mr Anders is dead and Will is severely wounded. Will is able to make it back to Abelia's farm as she attend to his injury.

Festus has been suspicious of Abelia since seeing her inside Mr Anders establishment and rides out to see her. With Will injured in the barn it will be only a matter of time before the two face off. But with the injury, it will be difficult for Will Smith to face the facts of his life.

A good story that also had a nice side story involving Abelia's kids and Festus. The side story enhanced the entire episode to make the story better. A good watch for any western viewer.

Note- Susan Olsen, that played one of the children, is just a few months away from beginning a nice run as Cindy from the Brady Bunch.

Abelia and Her Kids Return

[wdavidreynolds · 7/10 · 10 June 2021]

Gunsmoke fans were first introduced to Abelia Johnson and her two children Jonathan and Marianne in Season 14's "Abelia." The family is featured again in this story dealing with Abelia's mysterious past.

In the earlier episode, Abelia stated she was a widow, but we learn in this story that was not true. Her husband (or ex-husband, a fact that is never made entirely clear), who now calls himself Will Smith, was in prison for robbing a train. He served five years, but he is out now with the $10,000 in stolen gold.

Smith knows he cannot spend gold coins that have never been circulated, as they will immediately attract suspicion. He is a pitiable character because he has no one to help him. As the episode begins, he has made his way back to the farm where Abelia and the kids live to solicit Abelia's help.

Abelia wants nothing to do with Smith, as she has moved on with her life and fabricated a story for her children and others she meets about being a widow. Smith uses Abelia's pride and intense desire to have him out of her life (and perhaps some lingering affection?) to coerce her to help him launder some of the gold coins for cash he can then use to escape to Mexico. Of course, things do not work out quite as Smith plans.

Festus Haggen has at least a mild romantic interest in Abelia, and he clearly loves Marianne and Jonathan. There is a subplot where Abelia and the children pay a rare visit to Dodge City for a fair that is taking place. Their visit leads to Festus becoming suspicious of some of Abelia's actions.

Earl Holliman as Smith and Jacqueline Scott as Abelia work great together. Abelia has no interest in rekindling their relationship, but she likewise has no interest in reporting Smith to the Marshal.

Holliman was a talented, well-known actor who was first known in the 1950s for prominent roles in films such as Forbidden Planet, The Big Combo, Giant, and Gunfight at the O. K. Corral. By the 1960s, he transitioned from film work to more television roles, especially his recurring role on the series Police Woman with Angie Dickinson. This is his first involvement in a Gunsmoke episode, although he would appear again later in Season 15's "Hackett," and in Season 18's "Shadler." Holliman also played a key role in the first Gunsmoke movie, Gunsmoke: Return to Dodge.

Val Avery plays Bull Anders in this story. Avery enjoyed a lengthy career that spanned both film and television. He appeared in several films directed by John Cassavetes and was apparently a favorite of the acclaimed director. He often played tough guys, sometimes good and sometimes not so good, as he does here. This is his final role of four appearances in a Gunsmoke episode.

I am a fan of the work of actor Sid Haig, who often was relegated to bit parts. He is credited in this episode as "Buffalo Hunter." He appears in one scene inside the saloon where Abelia first approaches Bull Anders about buying the gold coins. I love the creepy nature of his character in that scene. (Haig made a career of playing creepy characters.)

Also look for William Fawcett to make another of his nine Gunsmoke appearances as a prospector.

Jacqueline Scott, Mike Durkin, and Susan Olsen all return as Abelia, Jonathan, and Marianne Johnson. The Abelia character would make a third and final appearance in Season 17's "The Predators," but Jodie Foster and Brian Morrison replace Olsen, who had gone on to play Cindy Brady in The Brady Bunch series, and Durkin in that episode.

According to some people who claim to know, consideration was given to making the Abelia character part of the regular Gunsmoke cast, but the Gunsmoke producers ultimately chose against the idea.

This is a solidly entertaining episode filled with excellent performances. However, the resolution of the situation between Smith and Anders raises several troubling questions. I do not want to spoil the fun. You can watch it for yourself and draw your own conclusions.

Intrigue And Suspense!!

[ellisel · 10/10 · 15 October 2009]

The children had a goat ready for the carnival. Some unknown stranger approached the house. The gentleman entered onto the property and had a talk with his ex-wife at the beginning of the show. The name Will Smith was holding nearly ten thousand dollars of stolen gold in a satchel. He asked Abelia Johnson to trade the stolen gold for two hundred dollars of traveling money to reside in Mexico.

Abelia Johnson took the kids to Dodge City for the carnival. They stayed at Ma Smalley's boarding house for the night. Later in the day, Abelia returned to the house and had a chat with Will Smith. He wanted her to trade the gold to an establishment called the Bull's Arrow Saloon. Bull Anders operated the saloon; and she was to meet the gentleman about trading the gold for three hundred dollars in paper money. Abelia had to wait until the next evening to obtain Will Smith's traveling money. Festus Haggen acted quite suspicious about her dealings of stolen gold.

She did not tell Festus Haggen that Will Smith had served five years for both robbing the freight train and possession of stolen gold. By the same token, Abelia Johnson told her ex-husband that he had to wait until nightfall to collect his traveling money. Will Smith had plans of meeting Bull Anders at a shack outside Dodge City. Trading the stolen gold came with an unexpected twist. Bull Anders was setting up Will Smith for an ambush; moreover, gunfire erupted at the shack will both parties being shot in the transaction ... and Bull Anders ended up being dead from gunfire. Will Smith did not obtain his three hundred dollars of traveling money to Mexico.

Will Smith ended up at Abelia Johnson's home. He was hiding in the barn. Festus Haggen found out Will Smith was caught in gunfire with the unsuccessful attempt to trade the gold for the money. Will Smith was desperate to leave for Mexico ... with or without traveling money. Will Smith was his name that he wanted to be known to Marshal Dillon in his dying confession. A Brilliant 10!! A Recommended Episode From The 1969-1970 Television Season.